HIV/AIDS

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to his answer of 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 379W, on HIV/AIDS, if he will place in the Library the report of the Conference on Retroviral and Opportunistic Infections held in Boston USA in March.

Hilary Benn: I have arranged for the documents entitled "Nevirapine Use for a Second Pregnancy Is Beneficial in Preventing Mother-to-child Transmission of HIV, When Compared to a Transmission rate of 25 per cent. Without Drug Use", "Very Low Verical HIV Transmission Rates Possible in Africa" and "Prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV" which were presented at the Conference on Retrovirals and Opportunistic Infections held in Boston from 23 to 25 February this year, to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Caravans

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the maximum (a) length and (b) width is of a caravan that can be legally towed.

David Jamieson: holding answer 18 March 2005
	The maximum dimensions regarding the length and width of a caravan that can legally be towed on the roads of the UK is dependent on the maximum gross weight of the towing vehicle.
	Towing vehicles with a maximum gross weight of 3500kg or below are permitted to tow a caravan with a maximum length of 7 metres and a width of 2.3 metres.
	Towing vehicles with a maximum gross weight exceeding 3500kg are permitted to tow a caravan with a maximum length of 12 metres provided it is fitted with at least four wheels. In all other cases the maximum length is 7 metres. The maximum width is 2.55 metres.
	In either case the overall length of the towing vehicle and caravan combination must not exceed 18 metres or 18.75 metres if the towing vehicle was manufactured after 1 June 1998.

Roadside Accidents

David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will assess the merits of requiring car occupants to wear reflective jackets compliant to standard EN471 when leaving their vehicle at the roadside, except where the vehicle is parked; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will take steps to require car occupants leaving their vehicle by the roadside, except when the vehicle is parked, to wear reflective jackets compliant to standard EN471; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if he will make it a requirement that drivers carry at least one reflective jacket in their cars; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: We do not make it a requirement for any road user to wear reflective clothing. However, we do advise vulnerable road users—pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and horseriders—to wear fluorescent clothing during the day and reflective clothing at night to improve their visibility to other road users. This advice is contained in the Highway Code.
	Drivers are generally less vulnerable. But the Code gives advice to them on where they should stand should their vehicle breakdown, with special advice for motorways. Our leaflet, "A Guide to Safer Motorway Driving", also contains the advice on what to do when vehicles break down on motorways. While there are tragic accidents when drivers leave their vehicles, these are rare. We believe that drivers and occupants are not at great risk when they follow this advice—for example, for motorways they are advised to wait on a nearby bank or verge well away from the traffic. We therefore do not believe that we should go further and require the wearing of special clothing.

Speed Cameras

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what compensation will be payable to (a) companies engaged in the supply of and (b) those who have bought equipment which detects the presence of speed cameras in the event of such equipment being outlawed under the provisions of the Road Safety Bill.

David Jamieson: The Government signalled their intentions in January 2001. The provision contained within the Road Safety Bill regarding speed assessment equipment detection devices would allow regulations to be made which would allow the continued use of Global Positioning Systems which contribute to road safety by informing drivers of the location of published safety camera sites. The provisions are designed to deal with devices whose purpose, or one of the purposes of which, is to detect or interfere with the operation of all police enforcement equipment used to assess the speed of motor vehicles.
	It would be inappropriate to compensate companies engaged in the supply, or users of equipment that enabled drivers to ignore speed limits and flout the law with impunity endangering other road users.

Listed Places of Worship Grant

Anne McIntosh: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners pursuant to his oral answer of 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 20, what the take-up of the listed places of worship grant scheme has been in the last 12 months.

Stuart Bell: 6,907 applications for VAT refunds have been made under this scheme since 1 April 2004 and roughly £6.5 million has been paid out, of which about 90 per cent. relates to Church of England places of worship.
	The Church is extremely grateful to the Chancellor of the Exchequer for extending the scheme until 2008 in his Budget.
	As the estimated annual spend on repairs and maintenance is nearly £100 million, there may be some parishes failing to claim. A proportion of repairs cover items which do not qualify under the scheme but there is still a strong suggestion that eligible works are being carried out on Church of England listed church buildings and no application is being made for a VAT refund.
	The C of E VAT Group is urging all parishes who have undertaken repair works to listed church buildings costing in excess of £1,000 to make a claim for the VAT refund on completion of the works.

Parliamentary Questions

Lynne Jones: To ask the Solicitor-General, pursuant to the answer of 1 March 2005, Official Report, column 1075W, on parliamentary questions, whether the former deputy legal adviser in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Elizabeth Wilmhurst, was one of the three officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office referred to.

Harriet Harman: No.

Agricultural Employment

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were employed (a) full-time and (b) part-time in agriculture in England in each year from 1990 to 2004.

Alun Michael: The number of people employed in agriculture in England for the years 1990 to 2004 are shown in the table. The figures include family workers but exclude casual workers, farmers, partners, directors and salaried managers.
	
		
			   Thousand 
			  (a) Full-time (b) Part-time 
		
		
			 1990 100.0 45.7 
			 1991 95.6 45.1 
			 1992 91.7 43.3 
			 1993 88.3 42.9 
			 1994 86.0 42.5 
			 1995 83.4 42.6 
			 1996 81.6 42.6 
			 1997 80.6 41.9 
			 1998 79.2 41.0 
			 1999 73.6 37.2 
			 2000 64.2 32.7 
			 2001(1) 61.2 29.4 
			 2001(2) 62.8 30.3 
			 2002 58.6 28.7 
			 2003 52.6 26.2 
			 2004 50.4 28.3 
		
	
	(1) Shows the results assuming register improvements had not taken place (comparable with June 2000).
	(2) Shows the results including register improvements.
	Notes:
	1. Part-time is defined as less than 39 hours
	2. Due to the introduction of new questions in 1998 figures prior to this year are not directly comparable with earlier years' results.
	3. Due to a register improvement exercise in 2001, labour figures prior to this are not directly comparable with later results.
	Source:
	June Agricultural Census

Bird Control

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will publish the new general licence WLF18 for the control of certain species of birds which came into effect on 1 March 2005.

Ben Bradshaw: The general licence WLF 18 has been published and is available on the Defra website via the following link: http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/regulat/forms/cons man/wlf 18.pdf.

Bird Control

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the circumstances in which controlling pigeons on growing crops by non-lethal methods would be (a) less effective and (b) less practical than shooting.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra have made no such specific assessment. However, in December 2003 the Central Science Laboratory published a report on the 'Review of international research literature regarding the effectiveness of auditory bird scaring techniques and potential alternatives'. A copy of this report can be found at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/noise/birdscaring/birdscaring.pdf
	This review, which was commissioned by Defra, did not include an assessment of shooting.

Bird Control

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish advice she has received concerning the legal interpretation of condition 4 of general licence WLF 18.

Ben Bradshaw: It is necessary for Defra, and other Government Departments, to obtain legal advice in order to formulate policy. Without such comprehensive advice the quality of the Government's decision making would be much reduced since it would not be fully informed and this would be contrary to the public interest.
	Disclosure of legal advice has a significant potential to prejudice the Government's ability to defend its legal interests—both directly, by unfairly exposing its legal position to challenge, and indirectly by diminishing the reliance it can place on the advice having been fully considered and presented without fear or favour. Neither of these scenarios is in the public interest
	It is for these reasons that Defra will not publish any legal advice it has received in respect of condition 4 of general licence WLF18.

Cormorants

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action her Department is taking to ensure that the granting of licences for the control of cormorants does not lead to the killing of nesting birds.

Ben Bradshaw: Licences to shoot cormorants are normally issued between 31 August and 15 April which avoids the main cormorant breeding season (eggs: 20 March to 1 July, unfledged young: 20 April to 1 September). Some licences are extended to 30 April if smolt runs are likely to be affected by cormorant predation.
	The presence of a cormorant nesting site close to a proposed licensed site is taken into consideration when assessing the suitability of the site for licensed action; the licence period may be adjusted to avoid taking cormorants which may have dependent young.
	English Nature is consulted on all applications for licences to shoot cormorants outside of t he "normal" period of 31 August to 15 April. These applications may be refused on the basis of humaneness if nesting cormorants and their young are likely to be affected.

Farm Holdings

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of farm holdings in England in each year from 1990 to 2004.

Alun Michael: The number of agricultural and horticultural holdings in England recorded for the years 1990 to 2004 are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1990 150,652 
			 1991 150,966 
			 1992 151,718 
			 1993 153,422 
			 1994 153,426 
			 1995 146,109 
			 1996 145,638 
			 1997 144,777 
			 1998 145,093 
			 1999 147,220 
			 2000 167,855 
			 2001 177,934 
			 2002 187,871 
			 2003 190,687 
			 2004 192,824 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures prior to 2000 are for main holdings only, from 2000 onwards main and minor holdings are included. A holding is defined as minor if it meets all of the following conditions:
	(a) the total area is less than 6 hectares
	(b) the labour requirement is estimated to be less than 100 standard person-days
	(c) there is no regular full-time farmer or worker
	(d) the glasshouse area is less than 100 square metres
	(e) the occupier does not farm another holding
	2. The number of holdings in later years reflects changes in administrative recording.
	Source:
	June agricultural census

Farm Prices

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on farm-gate prices paid to farmers for supply of (a) dairy produce, (b) meat and (c) fruit and vegetables.

Alun Michael: The information requested is as follows:
	Dairy produce
	Nearly all milk produced in the UK leaves the farm as raw milk which is then processed into milk for liquid consumption or manufactured milk products (cheese, butter etc.). The farm-gate price of milk was provisionally 18.5 pence per litre in 2004 1 , 9 per cent. higher than in 2000 (when farm-gate milk prices were at their lowest in recent years).
	Meat
	In 2004 the average price for clean cattle in the UK was provisionally 101.2 pence per kilogram liveweight 2 , 13 per cent. higher than in 2000. The average price for clean pigs in the UK was provisionally 102.7 pence per kilogram deadweight, 9 per cent. higher than in 2000. The average price for clean sheep in Great Britain was provisionally 263.6 pence per kilogram dressed carcase weight, 34 per cent. higher than in 2000.
	1 Survey of the value of milk purchased from producers conducted in England and Wales (Defra), Scotland (SEERAD) and NI (DARDNI).
	2 Meat and Livestock Commission market data.
	
		Fruit and Vegetables—Selected farm-gate prices of fruit and vegetables £ per tonne(3)
		
			  2000 2004 Percentage change 
		
		
			 Dessert apples 357.8 376.4 5 
			 Culinary apples 215.3 378.1 76 
			 Pears 283.3 348.1 23 
			 Cabbages 192.3 204.8 7 
			 Carrots 103.6 194.0 87 
			 Tomatoes 751.6 724.0 -4 
			 Cauliflower 274.1 289.0 5 
		
	
	(3) Wholesale market prices adjusted to convert to farm-gate prices.

Fisheries

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many UK fishing vessels fish with (a) gill net and (b) tangle net; and what length of each type of net is deployed.

Ben Bradshaw: Reliable information on the number of UK vessels fishing with gill nets and tangle nets is only available for those over 10 metres in length. In 2004, 84 of these fished with gill nets and 34 with tangle nets. The length of each type of net can typically be between 100 metres and 10,000 metres depending on the species being targeted.

Harmful Cargoes

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2005, Official Report, column 1936W, on harmful cargoes, if she will list the occasions since 1 May 1997 when monitoring of (a) fish stocks and (b) other marine wildlife has been instigated following the loss of a harmful cargo into the sea, giving in each case the nature of the cargo, the period of monitoring and the results of that monitoring.

Ben Bradshaw: On 15 February 1996, the "Sea Empress" laden with over 72,000 tonnes crude oil ran aground off Milford Haven. Extensive monitoring continued for two years covering the contamination with oil of seawater, sediment, fish, shellfish and edible plants and seaweeds with oil as detailed in the report. The main impacts all occurred at the time of the incident or shortly afterwards and there appeared to have been few major long-term effects. A full assessment was provided in the final report of the Sea Empress Environmental Evaluation Committee, published in 1998. A more detailed summary of the report is available at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft shipping/documents/page/dft shipping 505333.hcsp.
	On 31 October 2000, the "levoli Sun" was abandoned and later sunk approximately 11 miles North West of Alderney. The vessel carried a mixed cargo of 4,000 tonnes styrene, 1,000 tonnes methyl ethyl ketone and 1,000 tonnes isopropyl alcohol. More than 1,000 tonnes styrene was lost to sea during the incident. Analysis of edible tissues from crabs recovered one week later from pots laid very close to the wreck prior to the incident demonstrated only low-level styrene contamination that posed no risk to humans. The remainder of the styrene and the ship's main bunker fuel were recovered from the wreck on the seabed. Full details are provided in R.J. Law, C. Kelly, P. Matthiessen and J. Aldridge (2003) The loss of the chemical tanker levoli Sun in the English Channel, October 2000. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 46: 254–257.
	On 29 June 2003, the "Jambo" carrying 3,300 tonnes sphalerite ore ran aground on rocks off the Summer Isles North West of Ullapool. Sphalerite is mainly composed of zinc sulphide and contains traces of other metals such as lead, cadmium and arsenic. Monitoring included testing water, sediments and shellfish for zinc, toxicity testing and measuring the solubility of metallic elements in the sphalerite ore. It showed that measured levels of zinc in the water were mostly very low. Toxic impacts of zinc to water column animals are therefore considered very unlikely. Measured levels of zinc in sediments are very low except in the immediate vicinity of the wreck (-100 metres) so toxic and smothering impacts to benthic (seabed) animals are therefore expected to be similarly localised. There is currently no evidence to suggest that the discharged cargo from the Jambo has resulted in persistent elevated levels of zinc, cadmium or arsenic in scallop or crab tissues. It is concluded that eating shellfish from the area around the Jambo incident does not raise any food safety concerns for consumers. The final report of the Jambo Environment Group to the Secretary of State's Representative was published in July 2004 and can be obtained from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency at: http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/environment group report-5.pdf. An environmental monitoring programme will continue each year until 2007.

General Election Candidates (Expenditure Limits)

Graham Allen: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission whether the Commission intends to review the limits on expenditure by candidates in general elections; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission's recommendations in respect of the variation of election expenses for candidates at UK parliamentary elections, published in January 2005, have been accepted by the Government and came into force on 4 March 2005.
	In its report on "The funding of political parties" published at the end of 2004 the Commission stated that, after the next General Election, it would undertake a review of the balance between candidate and party spending limits.

Electoral Registration

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what plans the Commission has to review the system of electoral registration.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission's report "The electoral registration process", published in May 2003, recommended the implementation of a range of measures designed to make the registration process more straightforward and user-friendly for voters, and to enhance security. Key proposals include the introduction of a system based on the collection and use of individual identifiers; the development of a UK-wide electronic register; and changes to allow voters to register closer to the date of an election.
	The Government's Response to the Commission's report was published in December 2004 as Cm 6426.

Cigarette Smuggling

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of cigarette smuggling was in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

John Healey: The estimated level of cigarettes smuggled in each of the last four full financial years are given in table 3.9 and table 3.10 of "Measuring and Tackling Indirect Tax Losses", published by HM Customs and Excise in December 2004 and available from the House Library. The estimated level of smuggled cigarettes for 1999–2000 in market share and volume can be found in table 3.2 and table 3.3 of "Measuring indirect tax losses" published in November 2002, which is also available from the House Library.

Fraud

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions the UK Government have reported (a) fraud and (b) other irregularities to the European Anti Fraud Office in the last five years.

Stephen Timms: The United Kingdom has reported irregularities, which includes fraud, on a quarterly basis to the European Commission and the European Anti Fraud Office, as required under Regulations 1150/2000, as amended by Regulation 2028/2004 (Own Resources), 595/91 (Agriculture) and 1681/94 (Structural Funds). Details of the amounts involved and the number of cases can be found in the European Commission's annual "Fight against Fraud" reports. The report, and its annexes, for 2003 was published on 30 August 2004.

Official Residences

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the official residences for which his Department is responsible; who occupies each one; what the annual cost is of running each property; what contribution the current occupants make towards the running costs of each; what the total capital and refurbishment expenditure has been on those properties in each of the past five years; how much money was spent in each property on (a) flowers and plants, (b) wine and entertaining, (c) food, (d) telephone bills and (e) electricity and gas in 2003–04; how many (i) domestic and (ii) maintenance staff are employed at each property, broken down by post; and what the total cost of staff employment at each was in 2003–04.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the written answers he received from the Prime Minister on 20 January 2005, Official Report, column 1037W, and the former Financial Secretary (Ruth Kelly) on 19 November 2003, Official Report, column 1097W, and to my answer to the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Prisk) on 16 November 2004, Official Report, column 1267W. I very much regret that my answer inadvertently contained an incorrect figure: the running costs of the Treasury's residential property in 2003–04 were in fact £127,428 (and not £162,858).
	Information relating to expenditure on flowers and plants, wine and entertaining, food, telephone bills and electricity and gas is not available. No maintenance or domestic staff are employed by the Treasury in respect of the flat at 10 Downing Street.

EU Sport Provisions

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what projects and organisations received funding from the European Union during the last financial year under EC budget lines (a) 15 04 02 01 (framework programme in support of culture), (b) 15 04 02 03 (preparatory actions for co-operations on cultural matters) and (c) 15 05 04 (European year of education through sport); how much was spent in total; and what funding is available during the next financial year.

Richard Caborn: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) Framework Programme in Support of Culture (Culture 2000)—EC Budget line 15 04 02 01.
	233 European cultural projects have been offered grants in 2004 under the Culture 2000 programme. They will share approximately £22 million in funding. A list with descriptions of the funded projects is available at the following website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/culture/cac/index en.htmi.
	The total available under this programme in 2005 will be approximately £14 million.
	(b) Preparatory Actions for Co-operation on Cultural Matters—EC Budget line 15 04 02 03
	From 2002 to 2004, the EC budget included funds for preparatory actions for co-operation on cultural matters. This appropriation had a limited budget (£1.5 million in 2004) and was intended to finance measures aimed at developing cultural co-operation. The table provides details of the six projects selected in 2004.
	
		
			  Project title  Objective EU funding (£) 
		
		
			 Generation Europe Social inclusion 204,682 
			 Wonderland-architectural network Encourage partnerships 92,873 
			 Foreign editions Translating literature 238,929 
			 Promoting European live music Promoting young musicians and facilitating exchanges 640,504 
			 Gateway to cultural co- operation Information for cultural practitioners 208,720 
			 Les Metropoles de I'Europe Compare data on artistic practice 58,157 
			 Total  1,443,865 
		
	
	(c) European Year of Education Through Sport—EC Budget line 15 05 04
	The following table provides details of the projects and organisations that received funding under the auspices of the European year of education through sport (EYES) 2004, totalling approximately £364,112. EYES 2004 has now ended, and the EU has not committed any further funds for projects in the year 2005.
	
		
			  Project applicant  Project focus EU funding (£) 
		
		
			 City of Hull Education Department To develop a series of study activities for young people in the Kingston Stadium who were disaffected with their mainstream studies 38,987 
			 UK Sport 'Clean Start' production of resources to be used in educational contexts to inform young people of the issues and dangers of drug misuse in sport 26,456 
			 The Football Association of England 'Learning through football' used Euro 2004 as catalyst for a teaching resource and the organisation of mini soccer tournaments across the country. 39,683 
			 Leeds City Council Education Department 'LEAP' organised a sports camp for young people, at risk of social exclusion, from across Europe. 34,114 
			 Loughborough University Researched the impact sport can have in supporting asylum seekers in their attempts to integrate into a new community 38,987 
			 Easington School Sport Partnership The organisation of a 'health, fitness and activity camp' for several hundred young people form twinned areas across Europe 31,329 
			 Essex County Council Sport Development Unit Implementing a strategy to encourage young people in schools to link to the local sports clubs in rural Essex 8,354 
			 Renfrewshire Council The development of a group of young sports leaders who would eventually work in sports clubs in schools and local clubs 17,405 
			 Ross County Football Club A 'Health and nutrition roadshow' to visit local schools to help young people and their families develop 14,620 
			 Ipswich Rugby Union Club Linking school/communities of Ipswich and Arras in France through the medium of rugby 14,620 
			 Belfast City Council The staging of a conference to assist in the development of a national approach to physical education and sport in all schools 33,418 
			 Glasgow City Council The organisation of an international conference sharing good practice on the use of sport development to support young people in their communities 19,494 
			 Gateshead Borough Council A conference linked to the staging of the European junior clubs athletics championships. The conference examined the issues and approaches and young people in sport that are experienced around the United Kingdom and Europe 16,709 
			 Buckinghamshire Disability Sport Partnership A two day seminar to look at the development of a strategy to improve the integration of young disabled people into sporting activities 11,139 
			 Atlantic Challenge (funding subsequently withdrawn by EU but event still held under EYES objectives and supported by UK) The organisation of an international rowing and sailing event for young people from 17 nations. The activities also include educational and vocational development activities. 8,354 
			 British Universities Sports Association An international conference specifically focused on how to improve the transition of young sports people from school sport to sport in higher education 10,443 
			 Total  364,112

EU Sport Provisions

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the projects relating to sport that her Department has funded in partnership with institutions of the European Union during the past 12 months; and what further projects are planned.

Richard Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not directly funded any projects relating to sport in partnership with EU institutions in the past 12 months. However, one of the Department's non-departmental public bodies, UK Sport, did partly fund the "Clean Start" project, which was 50 per cent. funded by the European Commission, under the auspices of the European Year of Education through Sport 2004. This project produced educational resources to inform young people of the issues and dangers of drug misuse in sport. There are no plans to fund further projects in partnership with European institutions at present.

Gloucester Cultural Centre

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the funding available to bid for projects under the private finance initiative; and if she will make such funding available to build a Gloucester cultural centre.

Richard Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has 130 million private finance initiative (PFI) credits available to support new schemes in the latest joint bidding round, which is being run between the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Department of Health and the DCMS. DCMS priorities for this bidding round are projects that will promote the modernisation of the public library service and the creation of multi-sport facilities. The closing date for expressions of interest, which is the first stage in a two stage application process, was 12 March 2005. We have received Gloucestershire county council's and Gloucester city council's expression of interest for a new cultural centre, and we will be assessing it together with the other expressions of interest we have received. We hope that the process can be completed and authorities notified of the results in June 2005. Further information about the latest bidding round, in the form of guidance to local authorities seeking to apply, can be found at www. local.odpm.gov.uk/pfi/bidguid.pdf

Licence Fees

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate her Department has made of the number of premises licensed under (a) the Licensing Act 1964, (b) the London Government Act 1963 and (c) the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 which will fall into each of the rateable value bands for licence fees under the Licensing Act 2003 (Fees) Regulations; how many in each category will be required to pay the fee multiplier; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: As at 30 June 2004, in England and Wales there were 113,370 on-licensed premises; 46,582 off-licensed premises; and 19,913 registered clubs. These figures can be found in the DCMS publication "Statistical Bulletin Liquor Licensing (England and Wales, July 2003—June 2004)" which was deposited on 27 October 2004 in the House Libraries. This document is also available on the DCMS website at:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/global/research/statistics outputs/liquor licensing statistics.htm
	The total number of public entertainment licences issued under the London Government Act 1963 and the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 is not known. Licensing authorities hold figures for their own authority areas and these are not collected centrally. However, surveys suggest that 46,000 public entertainment licences are issued in England and Wales annually.
	We have not made any estimates of the distribution of these premises across the fee bands for the 2003 Act by category of existing licence. However, the Regulatory Impact Assessment that accompanied the finalised fees estimated the distribution of all licensed premises across the fee bands as follows:
	
		
			 Band Non-domestic rateable value (£) Percentage of premises in band 
		
		
			 A 0–4,300 19 
			 B 4,301–33,000 60 
			 C 33,001–87,000 13 
			 D 87,001–125,000 3 
			 E 125,001 and over 5 
		
	
	The fee multiplier applies to premises primarily or exclusively engaged in the supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises that fall into fee Bands D and E. Premises in Band D would pay twice the normal application fee and annual fee; and those in Band E would pay three times the normal application fee and annual fee. It is difficult to estimate precisely how many premises will meet these definitions. However, we believe there will be at least 2,000 such premises and, at most, 4,000.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent progress has been made towards the public service agreement target to maximise the contribution to the economy of the tourism, creative and leisure industries.

Richard Caborn: The public service agreement target that underpins the Department's economy Strategic Priority is
	"to improve the productivity of the tourism, creative and leisure industries".
	Information on the Department's performance against this public service agreement target was published on 22 December 2004 in the DCMS Autumn Performance Report (Cm 6435). Copies of the report are available in the House Library.

Cambridge Schools

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the change since 1997 in (a) capital expenditure and (b) staffing levels has been for each primary and secondary school in Cambridge constituency.

Stephen Twigg: Capital expenditure for primary and secondary schools in Cambridge is not held centrally. The total capital allocation for Cambridgeshire county council for 1996–97 was £9 million, and for 2004–05 it was £33.2 million, an increase of £24.2 million.
	A comparison between 1997 and 2004 staffing levels for each primary and secondary school in Cambridge is contained in the following tables.
	
		Maintained primary schools: Full-time equivalent number of teaching and support staff, January 1997—Cambridge parliamentary constituency
		
			 LEA number DfES number School name Total full-time equivalent of qualified teachers, other teaching staff and support staff 1 
		
		
			 905 2105 Milton Road Junior School 15.1 
			 905 2106 Milton Road Infant School 13.0 
			 905 2109 Newnham Croft Primary School 11.9 
			 905 2110 Priory Junior School 22.4 
			 905 2111 Priory Infant School 16.4 
			 905 2113 Romsey Junior School 9.9 
			 905 2114 Sedley Infant School 13.4 
			 905 2115 Shirley Infant School 21.5 
			 905 2118 Arbury Primary School 25.7 
			 905 2119 Colville Primary School 16.4 
			 905 2121 Mayfield Primary School 24.0 
			 905 2123 The Grove Primary School 38.8 
			 905 2312 Cherry Hinton Community Junior School 11.4 
			 905 2317 St. Matthew's Primary School 21.4 
			 905 2335 The Spinney Primary School 11.9 
			 905 2446 Kings Hedges Primary School 27.1 
			 905 3050 Cherry Hinton Church of England VC Infant School 12.0 
			 905 3350 Park Street Church of England Primary School 8.9 
			 905 3352 St. Luke's Church of England Primary School 18.3 
			 905 3358 St. Philip's Church of England Aided Primary School 22.3 
			 905 3366 St. Laurence's RC Primary School 12.9 
			 905 3381 St. Andrew's Church of England Community VA Junior School 23.7 
		
	
	(5) Includes instructors and student teachers, foreign language assistants, unqualified teachers, graduate or registered teachers, teachers entitled to qualify by service and teachers not recognised as qualified. Also includes teaching assistants, technicians, administrative staff and all other education support staff.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census
	
		Maintained secondary schools: Full-time equivalent number of teaching and support staff, January 1997—Cambridge parliamentary constituency
		
			 LEA number DfES number School name Total full-time equivalent of qualified teachers, other teaching staff and support staff 1 
		
		
			 905 4027 Parkside Community College 45.73 
			 905 4029 Chesterton Community College 71.58 
			 905 4031 Coleridge Community College 48.6 
			 905 4057 The Manor Community College Community 38.98 
			 905 4602 St. Bede's Inter-Church Comprehensive School 44.57 
		
	
	(6) Includes instructors and student teachers, foreign language assistants, unqualified teachers, graduate or registered teachers, teachers entitled to qualify by service and teachers not recognised as qualified. Also includes teaching assistants, technicians, administrative staff and all other education support staff.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census
	
		Maintained primary schools: Full-time equivalent number of teaching and support staff, January 2004—Cambridge parliamentary constituency
		
			 LEA number DfES number School name Total full-time equivalent of qualified teachers, other teaching staff and support staff 1 
		
		
			 873 2105 Milton Road Junior School 18.5 
			 873 2106 Milton Road infant School 14.6 
			 873 2109 Newnham Croft Primary School 14.2 
			 873 2110 Shirley Infant School 23.9 
			 873 2111 Arbury Primary School 34.6 
			 873 2113 Colville Primary School 18.7 
			 873 2114 Mayfield Primary School 25.1 
			 873 2115 The Grove Primary School 16.5 
			 873 2118 Cherry Hinton Community Junior School 11.2 
			 873 2119 St. Matthew's Primary School 27.5 
			 873 2121 The Spinney Primary School 14.1 
			 873 2123 Kings Hedges Primary School 30.0 
			 873 2312 Abbey Meadows Primary School 23.4 
			 873 2317 Ridgefield Primary School 20.3 
			 873 2335 Cherry Hinton Church of England VC Infant School 15.6 
			 873 2446 Park Street Church of England Primary School 9.9 
			 873 3352 St. Luke's Church of England Primary School 21.2 
			 873 3358 St. Philip's Church of England Aided Primary School 32.0 
			 873 3366 St. Laurence's RC Primary School 14.7 
			 873 3381 St. Andrew's Church of England Community VA Junior School 19.6 
		
	
	(7) Includes teachers on schemes leading to QTS and teachers recognised as qualified. Also includes teaching assistants, technicians, administrative staff and all other education support staff.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census
	
		Maintained secondary schools: Full-time equivalent number of teaching and support staff, January 2004—Cambridge parliamentary constituency
		
			 LEA number DfES number School name Total full-time equivalent of qualified teachers, other teaching staff and support staff 1 
		
		
			 873 4027 Parkside Community College 63.2 
			 873 4029 Chesterton Community College 90.8 
			 873 4031 Coleridge Community College 54.0 
			 873 4057 The Manor Community College 44.5 
			 873 4602 St. Bede's Inter-Church Comprehensive School 62.0 
		
	
	(8) Includes teachers on schemes leading to QTS and teachers recognised as qualified. Also includes teaching assistants, technicians, administrative staff and all other education support staff.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

Departmental Policies (Tamworth)

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Tamworth constituency, the effects on the constituency of changes to her Department's policies since 1997.

Stephen Twigg: The Tamworth constituency lies within Staffordshire local education authority. The most recent Key Stage 2 and GCSE and equivalents Achievement for pupils attending schools in Tamworth are given in the following tables:
	
		Key Stage 2 Achievements of 11-year-old pupils attending schools in the Tamworth constituency—percentage of pupils gaining level 4 and above
		
			  1997 2004 Percentage point improvement 1997–2004 
		
		
			 Tamworth—English(10) 59 74 15 
			 Tamworth—Maths(10) 57 69 12 
			 National Average—English(11) 63 78 15 
			 National Average—Maths(11) 61 74 13 
		
	
	(10) Pupils attending schools in Tamworth constituency.
	(11) The average for all schools in England (including independent schools).
	
		GCSE and equivalents(12) Achievement of 15-year-old pupils(13) attending schools in the Tamworth constituency
		
			 Percentage of 15-year-olds gaining 1997 2004 Percentage point improvement 1997–2004 
		
		
			 Tamworth—5+A*-C 38.5 43.8 5.3 
			 Tamworth—5+A*-G 88,8 90.6 1.8 
			 National Average—5+A*-G 87.0 88,8 1.8 
		
	
	(12) For 2004 only results incorporate GCSEs, GNVQs and a wide range of other qualifications approved pre-16. Prior to 2004 results are based on GCSEs and GNVQs only.
	(13) As standard the results reported relate to pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.
	At national level, standards have improved across all key stages. The Primary and Key Stage 3 National Strategies, together with the measures we have taken to help schools in the toughest areas are continuing to deliver better results.
	Further information by constituency, is provided within the Department's 'In Your Area' website available at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/inyourarea. Where information is not available at the constituency level it has been provided at local education authority level.
	This website allows users to access key facts and local information about education and skills based on postcodes. The data available within the site offers comparisons between 1997 and the latest available year and covers five geographies. These are parliamentary constituency, ward, local authority district, local education authority and Government office region. England figures are also provided.
	The information available within the website is grouped in a number of broad categories including Literacy and Numeracy at age 11, Literacy and Numeracy at age 14, GCSE/GNVQ results, Pupils with Special Educational Needs, School Initiatives, School Workforce, School Funding and Resources, Children's Social Services, Early Years, Class Sizes, Post 16, Higher Education and Adult Education
	Additional information could be provided only at disproportionate cost, However, my Department is investigating ways in which we can disseminate more information about the effects of our policies at a local level. The In Your Area website will be further developed over the coming months to include additional information about Adult Education, School Funding, School Initiatives, School Performance, School Workforce and Post 16.

Gifted Pupils

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she has issued to local education authorities regarding provision in schools for gifted and talented pupils.

Stephen Twigg: We have made clear our expectation that schools and local authorities will make appropriate provision for gifted and talented pupils. There is a range of guidance available to local authorities from the Department, the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth and other partners in the national programme for gifted and talented education. The Department has produced a framework that authorities and schools are invited to follow when specifying what their programmes will achieve (see http://www. standards.dfes.gov.uk/giftedandtalented/guidanceand training/outcomemeasures/). A self-evaluation instrument, currently being trialled, will help schools to adjust their practice to best meet gifted and talented pupils' needs.

Teachers (London)

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures her Department has introduced to ensure the recruitment and retention of teaching staff in the outer London boroughs.

Stephen Twigg: We are committed to improving recruitment and retention of teachers. Nationally, there are around 29,000 more qualified teachers working in schools than there were in 1997. We have put in place nationally a number of incentives to attract and retain teachers, including PGCE bursaries of up to £6,000 and "Golden Hellos" of up to £4,000 in certain subjects. The Teacher Training Agency supports the cost of Recruitment Managers in local education authorities. Every outer London borough has received funding for the last four years and will continue to be supported for the next two years.
	Vacancy rates are falling faster in London than in the rest of the country but remain twice the national rate. We therefore continue to take additional steps to recruit and retain teachers in London, including outer London. As part of the London Challenge, which the Prime Minister launched in May 2003, we introduced Chartered London Teacher status. This recognises and rewards the distinctive skills and expertise demonstrated by teachers in outer and inner London and provides incentives for good teachers to stay teaching in London. We are also aware that the cost of housing is a factor in teachers' decisions about where to live and work. With the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, we have introduced interest-free equity loans to help teachers in London schools buy homes. The Key Teacher Homebuy scheme, which is only available to school teachers in London, offers loans of up to £100,000 for teachers willing to commit to a long-term career working in London schools.
	We have established a separate pay scale for teachers in outer London. Starting salaries for teachers in outer London will increase from £20,862 in April 2004 to £21,384 in April 2005 and £22,002 in September 2005. Schools retain the discretion to make such payments or other financial assistance, support or benefits to a teacher as they consider necessary as an incentive for the recruitment of new teachers or the retention of existing teachers.

University Admissions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many applications there were from school pupils for full-time courses at universities in England to commence study in each year from 2001 to 2004 inclusive; and how many applications have been made for enrolment in 2005, excluding applications for deferred entry in 2006.

Kim Howells: holding answer 17 March 2005
	Information for the years 2001 to 2004, showing the total number of students who applied throughout the application cycle, is shown in the following table. The latest available figures for 2005 entry show that, as at 15 January, 284,359 students from England had applied. We expect to receive updated information in April. The number of applicants who intend to defer entry is not held centrally.
	
		Applicants from England to full-time undergraduate courses in the UK
		
			 Year of entry Total applicants(14) 
		
		
			 2001 330,856 
			 2002 331,602 
			 2003 337,593 
			 2004 339,967 
		
	
	(14) Covers all students who applied at any point in the application cycle, including those who applied during the clearing process in August of each year.
	Source:
	Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

Wirral Schools Services Ltd.

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was paid to Jarvis plc for the sale of its equity in Wirral Schools Services Ltd.

Stephen Twigg: I am not able to disclose this information, since it is not for the Department to comment on financial negotiations between two commercial companies.

Attorney-General

Lynne Jones: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the oral answer given on 9 March 2005, Official Report, column 1514 to the hon. Member for Linlothgow (Mr. Dalyell), in what form the oral report given by the Attorney-General was recorded in the notes of the Cabinet meeting; and when these notes were made available to the full Cabinet.

Simon Thomas: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  whether the advice he received from the Attorney-General regarding the war in Iraq discussed in Cabinet on 17 March 2003 was placed before any other ministerial committee;
	(2)  whether the Cabinet meeting on 17 March 2003 discussed any business other than the advice of the Attorney-General regarding war with Iraq.

Tony Blair: The proceedings of Cabinet and Cabinet Committee meetings are not generally disclosed, in order to ensure the protection of information whose disclosure would harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.

Conduct of Committee Guidelines

Simon Thomas: To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish the Cabinet Office guidelines on the conduct of Cabinet and Ministerial Committee business.

Tony Blair: The Cabinet Office provides two sources of guidance on the conduct of Cabinet business. The Ministerial Code sets out the arrangements for collective consideration of business by Cabinet and Cabinet Committees. The Code is amplified by "Cabinet Committee Business: a Guide for Departments". Copies of each are available in the Libraries of the House.

Torture-obtained Information

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 7 February 2005, Official Report, column 1257W, on torture-obtained information, on how many occasions in the last year his Department has used information obtained by the use of torture in another country.

Adam Ingram: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave on 14 March 2005, Official Report, column 90W.

Fire Control Rooms

Philip Hammond: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library the detailed business case for regional control rooms after the contracts to construct and maintain them have been let.

Nick Raynsford: Once both procurement processes (ie for the accommodation and infrastructure services) are complete a copy of the full business case based on actual costs, less any information which needs to be retained for purposes of commercial confidentiality, will be made available in the Libraries of the House.

Housing Market Renewal Areas

Louise Ellman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria are used to measure the success of a Housing Market Renewal area.

Keith Hill: "Homes for All", the Government's five year housing plan sets out our aim to close by a third the gap between the level of vacancies and house values in pathfinder areas compared to the regions by 2010. Our long-term aim is to eradicate the problems caused by low demand housing by 2020.
	Specific targets for the period up to March 2006 are included in each pathfinder's funding agreement with the Government.

Local Authority Expenditure

Liam Byrne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimates his Department has made of projected future spending by local authorities in each year for which projections have been made; and what proportion of each amount is projected to be met through central Government subsidy in each of those years.

Nick Raynsford: The Government have made no estimates of future spending by local authorities, which is primarily for local authorities to determine. SR04 provided the following increases in Net Aggregate External Funding (Net AEF) which is comprised of Revenue Support Grant and National Non-Domestic Rates:
	
		
			  Net AEF 1 (£ million) 
		
		
			 2004–05 42,421 
			 2005–06 44,706 
			 2006–07 47,184 
			 2007–08 49,608 
		
	
	(15) This is the increases announced in SR04. The actual Net AEF total for 2005–06 taking account of changes in function and financing agreed after SR04 is 44,726 million.
	Note:
	The figure for 2004–05 includes the resources which were paid out as PFI Special Grant.

Ministerial Visits

David Amess: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many visits to Southend have been made by his officials in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Neighbourhood Renewal Funds (Cornwall)

Candy Atherton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will break down by district council the allocation of neighbourhood renewal funds in West Cornwall.

Yvette Cooper: The information requested is published on the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit website at: www.neighbourhood.gov.uk/page.asp?id=614
	An announcement will be made in due course on the allocation of new Neighbourhood Renewal Fund resources for the period 2006–08, once the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has considered fully the responses to our consultation.

Social Housing

David Willetts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average number of bedrooms in each social housing unit built was in each year since 1979.

Keith Hill: Estimates of the average number of bedrooms are not available. The following table shows, for particular years, estimates of the percentages of social dwellings for rent built by flats and houses and with one, two, three and four or more bedrooms.
	The figures for 1995–96, 2000–01 and 2003–04 include only Registered social landlord dwellings. Those for 1979, 1985 and 1990 also include local authority and new town dwellings as they then accounted for a larger proportion of social dwellings built.
	Figures for each year from 1991–92 are available from the housing statistics section on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website at:
	http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm housing/documents/page/odpm house 604058.xls
	[Housing—Housing Statistics—Live Tables—Housebuilding— Table no 251]
	
		Percentage
		
			  1979 l 1985 l 1990 1 1995–96 2000–01 2003–04 
		
		
			 Houses   
			 1 bedroom 5 8 6 3 3 1 
			 2 bedrooms 13 18 21 34 29 23 
			 3 bedrooms 26 16 17 30 27 24 
			 4+ bedrooms 4 2 3 4 4 6 
			 All 48 44 47 71 63 54 
			 Flats   
			 1 bedroom 33 41 36 17 17 13 
			 2 bedrooms 16 13 15 11 17 31 
			 3 bedrooms 2 1 2 1 3 1 
			 4+ bedrooms — — — — — 1 
			 All 51 55 53 29 37 46 
			
			 Houses and flats
			 1 bedroom 38 48 41 20 19 14 
			 2 bedrooms 29 32 36 45 46 54 
			 3 bedrooms 29 18 19 31 30 25 
			 4+ bedrooms 4 2 3 4 5 7 
			 All 100 100 100 100 100 100 
		
	
	(16) Figures include both new housing association and new local authority/new town dwellings built.

National Offender Management Service

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the detailed business case for the National Offender Management Service.

Paul Goggins: We have already published Patrick Carter's independent report "Managing Offenders—Reducing Crime", which sets out the case for a National Offender Management Service, and the Government's response "Reducing crime—Changing Lives" which accepts that case.
	A separate business case for the National Offender Management Service is currently being prepared.

Probation Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether performance by the National Probation Service against its performance measure on enforcement improved (a) during 2003–04 and (b) between April and September 2004.

Paul Goggins: The performance of the National Probation Service (NPS) in meeting its target for enforcement in 2003–04 and April to September 2004 is set out in the following tables.
	
		Table 1: Enforcement by month April 2003–March 2004—England and Wales Percentage
		
			 Month Breach action taken within 10 days 
		
		
			 April 2003 72 
			 May 2003 71 
			 June 2003 73 
			 July 2003 74 
			 August 2003 78 
			 September 2003 75 
			 October 2003 79 
			 November 2003 80 
			 December 2003 81 
			 January 2004 78 
			 February 2004 82 
			 March 2004 84 
			 Total 77 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Enforcement by month April to September 2004—England and Wales Percentage
		
			 Month Breach action taken within 10 days 
		
		
			 April 84 
			 May 85 
			 June 82 
			 July 86 
			 August 84 
			 September 87 
			 Total 85 
		
	
	The results for the half-year to September 2004 show an improvement of eight percentage points on those for 2003–04. This is very encouraging and continues the upward trend of recent years: in 2001–02 enforcement stood at 53 per cent. rising to 64 per cent. in 2002–03 and again to 77 per cent. last year. The NPS is now closer than ever to achieving its enforcement target of 90 per cent. and I am optimistic that the 85 per cent. achieved in the first six months can be increased by the end of 2004–05.

Radio Frequencies

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of (a) the effectiveness of Radio Frequency Identification projects and (b) their implications for (i) privacy and (ii) civil liberties.

Des Browne: The Home Office invested £5.5 million in launching the Chipping of Goods Initiative in March 2000. The UK was the first country in the world to embrace the use of Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID) or 'electronic tagging' to deal with property crime.
	The programme was led by the Police Scientific Development Branch and the Business Crime Team and was established as a result of the need to reduce the incidence and cost of property crime and to reduce the burden on police resources in tracing the ownership of stolen goods. It was also established to show the clear business benefits that can be gained from adopting such technology.
	Case studies for each of eight demonstrator projects were carried out, each one showing how the business benefited from the use of RFID. Manufacturers, retailers, consumers, the police and other enforcement agencies will all benefit from the wider adoption of this technology.
	The eight demonstrator projects are world class implementations and have already received five awards for technical excellence and outstanding achievement, including 'Retail Technology Team of the Year' and the 'European Supply Chain Solution of the Year'.
	Within the Identity Cards programme there has been investigation of the capabilities of contactless smartcard interfaces. However there has been no investigation of Radio Frequency Identification technologies which imply the ability to communicate with devices at much greater distances, nor it is envisaged that this would ever form part of the requirements for the Identity Cards scheme.

Turkish Cypriots

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Turkish Cypriots have been granted (a) an entry visa and (b) a work voucher for entry into the United Kingdom in each of the last three years.

Chris Mullin: I have been asked to reply.
	UKvisas does not hold statistics on the numbers of Turkish Cypriots who have applied for visas. However, entry clearance statistics on applications received at our visa issuing post in Nicosia in the last three years for which they are available can be found on the UKvisas website at www.ukvisas.gov.uk—"Entry Clearance: Facts and Figures".

China/Taiwan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Chinese authorities on its new law with regard to possible conflict with Taiwan.

Bill Rammell: As I said in my reply to the hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Moore) on 16 March 2005, Official Report, column 338W, Ministers have taken a close interest in the development of China's Anti-Secession legislation. We have discussed it on a number of occasions at Ministerial and official level with the Chinese, in meetings both before and after its enactment.
	Although the legislation refers to China's desire to resolve the issue peacefully, we are concerned that it makes reference to the possibility of the use of "non-peaceful means". Our view is still that the Taiwan question should be settled peacefully through negotiation between the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. We remain strongly opposed to the use of force, as we have consistently made clear to all, including the Chinese.
	In addition, the EU issued a Statement on 14 March recording its opposition to the use of force to resolve this issue.
	We continue to appeal to both sides to avoid unilateral measures which might heighten tensions. Instead, we encourage both sides to continue the progress of recent months through the implementation of practical measures.

Colombia

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Colombian authorities regarding the murder of Luis Eduardo Guerra, leader of the San Jose de Apartado Peace Community.

Bill Rammell: We are deeply shocked by the brutal killing of Luis Eduardo Guerra. Our embassy in Bogota has spoken to the judicial authorities and to Colombian Government representatives at the highest level to express our concerns regarding this killing. Luis Eduardo Guerra was a highly respected member of the Colombian NGO community and well known to our embassy. I met him during my visit to Colombia in 2004. I welcome the Colombian Government's assurances that there will be an impartial, swift and effective investigation into this, as well as into the other murders in the San Jose de Apartado Peace Community. Officials from the human rights unit in the Attorney-General's office, as well as forensic specialists and other officials, are in the area where the killings happened and are carrying out their investigation. This process includes interviews with members of the Peace Community, as well as all local army units, to try and establish the facts. We have also stressed to the Colombian authorities the need for proper protection to be given to witnesses of the crimes and of human rights defenders following the case. The Colombian authorities have assured us that such protection will be available to anyone who needs it. We continue to closely monitor the situation. Those responsible, whoever they may be, must be brought to justice.

Croatia

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on (a) progress in establishing the whereabouts of Ante Gotovina and (b) the impact of that progress on Croatia's proposed accession to the European Union.

Jack Straw: holding answer 15 March 2005
	On 16 March 2005, EU Foreign Ministers concluded that the conditions for the opening of EU accession negotiations had not been met in the absence of full co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The opening of accession negotiations have been postponed until such time as the Council confirms that Croatia is fully co-operating with ICTY. The UK strongly supported this conclusion.
	The postponement does not affect Croatia's candidate status, and the UK fully supports Croatia's eventual accession to the EU. We will continue to work closely with the Croatian Government and encourage them to co-operate fully with the ICTY, in particular in their efforts to locate and arrest fugitive indictee Ante Gotovina.

European Constitution

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the dates are of those referendums on the treaty establishing a constitution for the European Union which have been announced.

Denis MacShane: The dates of those referendums on the treaty establishing a constitution for Europe which have been announced are: 27 September 2005 (Denmark); 29 May 2005 (France); 10 July 2005 (Luxembourg); 1 June 2005 (Netherlands). The Spanish referendum took place on 20 February 2005.

Holy See

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2005, Official Report, column 21W, on the Holy See, how he intends to widen the pool of potential candidates as Head of Mission to the Holy See beyond the normal reservoir of candidates from the Foreign and Commonwealth Service; how and to whom persons interested may submit an application in support of their candidacy; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: The post of Head of Mission to the Holy See will be advertised publicly in due course. The advertisement will contain details of how to apply.

Palestinian Authority

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Palestinian Authority (a) to allow Christian Arabs the right to pursue their religion, with particular reference to the right to pray on the Temple Mount and (b) to prevent encroachment on and inappropriate use of Christian holy sites.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 17 March 2005
	We have received no representations from the Christian Palestinian population with regard to access to the right to pray at the Haram ash-Sharif Temple Mount area. We have received representations from the Christian Palestinian community regarding difficulties in accessing sites holy to Christians, as well as Jews and Muslims, but these concerns focus on measures taken by the Israeli rather than Palestinian authorities.
	Jerusalem has a unique religious and cultural importance for Christians, Jews and Muslims, and we attach great importance to ensuring access to Jerusalem and freedom of worship there for those of all faiths.

Departmental Accounts

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether Ministers in his Department have issued written instructions to override his Department's accounting officer's objections since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 14 March 2005, Official Report, column 80W, by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Timms).

New Deal

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have found work through new deal programmes in Plymouth since 1997, broken down by (a) the new deal for young people, (b) the new deal for over 25s and (c) the new deal for lone parents.

Jane Kennedy: The information is in the following table.
	
		New deal in Plymouth
		
			 Programme Individuals into work 
		
		
			 New deal for young people 3,390 
			 New deal 25 plus 660 
			 New deal for lone parents 1,900 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are for the combined parliamentary constituencies of Plymouth Devonport and Plymouth Sutton.
	2. New deal for young people started in January 1998; new deal 25 plus started in July 1998; new deal for lone parents started in October 1998.
	3. All data is to December 2004.
	4. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate

New Deal

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the City of York have (a) enrolled on and (b) found work through each of the Government's new deal programmes.

Jane Kennedy: The available information is in the following table.
	
		New deal in the City of York
		
			 Programme Individual starts Individuals into work 
		
		
			 New deal for young people 1,400 840 
			 New deal 25 plus 890 390 
			 New deal for lone parents 1,060 640 
			 New deal 50 plus (up to and including  March 2003) 190 190 
			 New deal 50 plus (from April 2003) — 50 
			 Total 3,540 2,110 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. New deal for young people started in January 1998; new deal 25 plus started in July 1998; new deal for lone parents started in October 1998; new deal 50 plus started in April 2000.
	2. Information on starts to new deal 50 plus is only available up to the end of March 2003.
	3. Information on individuals into work through new deal 50 plus up to the end of March 2003 is the number of starts to the new deal 50 plus employment credit.
	4. New deal 50 plus jobs figures from April 2003 could include people who have started more than one job.
	5. Information for new deal for disabled people and new deal for partners is not available at constituency level.
	6. All data is to December 2004.
	7. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate

Pensioner Income

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average difference in pension income between men and women in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) England was in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the tables.
	Table 1 gives gross income, net income before housing costs, and net income after housing costs for male and female single pensioners (people over state pension age). The results are based on combined data from the three years 2000–01, 2001–02 and 2002–03.
	
		Table 1: £ per week in 2002–03 prices
		
			  Scotland England Great Britain 
		
		
			 Male single pensioners 
			 Gross income 212 228 224 
			 Net income BHC 187 194 192 
			 Net income AHC 161 168 166 
			 Female single pensioners 
			 Gross income 188 188 187 
			 Net income BHC 167 165 165 
			 Net income AHC 142 139 139 
		
	
	Table 2 gives the difference in incomes between male single pensioners and female single pensioners.
	
		Table 2: £ per week in 2002–03 prices
		
			  Scotland England Great Britain 
		
		
			 Gross 24 40 37 
			 Net income BHC 20 29 27 
			 Net income AHC 19 28 27 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Based on pensioners' incomes 2002–03. Because of small sample sizes the results are based on an average of three years of Family Resources Survey (FRS) data. The data is from 2000–01, 2001–02, and 2002–03 where appropriate uprated to 2002–03 prices. Estimates of average incomes may still be vulnerable to random fluctuations in the number of very high income pensioners in each group in the FRS sample. In particular the differences between men and women should be treated with caution.
	2. Net income is after direct taxes (including council tax) have been deducted).
	3. BHC stand for before housing costs, AHC for after housing costs.
	4. Northern Ireland was included in the FRS for the first time in 2002–03. Because the table is based on three years of FRS data results are given for Great Britain rather than the UK.

Pensioner Income

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what changes took place in levels of pensioner poverty between (a) 1997 and June 2001 and (b) June 2001 and 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: We have taken many steps to tackle pensioner poverty, including the introduction of pension credit and winter fuel payment, and since 2000 there has been a 7 per cent. real rise in the level of the basic state pension. As a result of these measures during 2005–06 we will be spending extra £11 billion more on pensioners, including £5 billion more on the poorest third.
	Poverty is about more than low income; it also impacts on the way people live—their health, housing and the quality of their environment. The sixth annual 'Opportunity for all' report (Cm 6239), published in September 2004, sets out the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion and presents information on the indicators used to measure progress against this strategy.
	Analysis suggests our overall strategy to tackle pensioner poverty is having an impact on pensioner incomes. The Household Below Average Income figures present the number and proportion of pensioners living in households with incomes below fixed and relative thresholds. The latest publication shows that between 1996–97 and 2002–03, 1.8 million fewer older people lived in absolute low income on un-rounded figures. In percentage terms, this equated to a fall of around two thirds. Further information is presented in the following table:
	
		Number of pensioners with income below 60 per cent. of 1996–97 median income held constant in real terms
		
			  After housing costs Before housing costs 
		
		
			 1996–97 2.7 2.1 
			 1997–98 2.6 2.1 
			 2001–02 1.1 1.4 
			 2002–03 0.9 1.2 
		
	
	Information for 2003–04 onwards is not available. The latest available information about the number of pensioners living in relative low income, measured by households with incomes below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income, is presented in the following table:
	
		Number of pensioners with incomes below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income Million
		
			  After housing costs Before housing costs 
		
		
			 1996–97 2.7 2.1 
			 1997–98 2.7 2.2 
			 2001–02 2.2 2.2 
			 2002–03 2.2 2.1 
		
	
	Source:
	Households Below Average Income 2002–03
	Households Below Average Income figures for 2003–04 are due to be published on 30 March. A copy will be placed in the Library.

Pensioner Income

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the level of pensioner poverty (a) before and (b) after housing costs was in (i) the UK, (ii) Scotland and (iii) England in 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The following table gives gross income, net income before housing costs, and net income after housing costs for pensioners, over the three years 2000–01, 2001–02 and 2002–03 combined.
	
		Pensioners' income per week—2002–03 prices £
		
			  Pensioner couples Single pensioners 
			  Scotland England Great Britain Scotland England Great Britain 
		
		
			 Gross income 353 393 386 193 198 196 
			 Net income BHC 304 328 324 171 172 171 
			 Net income AHC 282 307 304 147 146 146 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. From Pensioners' Incomes 2002–03—the Great Britain results in table 6 of 2002–03 Pensioners' incomes were incorrect, the corrected numbers are in this table.
	2. Because of small sample sizes the results are based on an average of three years of Family Resources Survey data. The data is from 2000–01, 2001–02, and 2002–03 where appropriate uprated to 2002–03 prices. Estimates of average incomes may still be vulnerable to random fluctuations in the number of very high income pensioners in each group in the FRS sample.
	3. Net income is after direct taxes (including council tax) have been deducted.
	4. BHC stands for Before Housing Costs, AHC for After Housing Costs.
	5. Northern Ireland was included in the FRS for the first time in 2002–03. Because the table is based on three years of FRS data results are given for Great Britain rather than the UK.

Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average weekly amounts of (a) basic state pension, (b) additional pension and (c) income- related additions received by (i) men and (ii) women were in each year since 1997–98.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is in the table.
	
		
			   £ 
			  Average basic state pension Average additional state pension Average weekly rate of income-  related additions 
			 As at March: Men Women Men Women Men Women 
		
		
			 1998 61.42 49.95 15.50 5.60 42.29 
			 1999 63.58 51.68 17.23 6.34 52.76 41.82 
			 2000 65.59 53.34 19.40 6.97 56.03 44.43 
			 2001 66.27 53.95 20.43 7.62 59.60 46.45 
			 2002 71.11 57.97 22.81 8.50 58.56 45.27 
			 2003 73.98 60.38 23.45 9.30 59.96 46.02 
			 2004 75.82 61.96 24.73 10.20 48.50 39.16 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Income-related additions refer to the minimum income guarantee and the pension credit (payable from October 2003) and represent male and female claimants. Figures for male claimants are higher because they include a greater proportion of cases where the claim relates to a couple than the figures for female claimants. Figures for March 1998 are only available for all claimants and cannot be given in the format requested.
	2. Figures for basic state pension and additional state pension are taken from a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation. The average weekly rates are based on all state pension recipients in Great Britain.
	3. Basic state pension means the basic component of Category A or B state pension or Category C or D state pension.
	4. A basic state pension is paid to those who fully or partially satisfy the contribution conditions for a Category A or Category B basic state pension, either in their own right or, where applicable, on the basis of their spouse's or former spouse's National Insurance contributions and to persons aged 80 or over who satisfy the entitlement conditions for Category C or Category D Pensions.
	5. Average amounts of additional state pension include the additional state pension component of Category A and B state pension and the addition to long-term incapacity benefit, graduated retirement benefit and age additions paid to people aged 80 and over.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre.

Pensions

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what initiatives his Department has taken to encourage business investment in worker pensions; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: We have taken radical action to ease the burdens on business and encourage further investment in employees' pensions. This includes the measures in the 2004 Finance Act to simplify the tax system and provisions in the Pensions Act 2004 to make the running of pension schemes simpler. We have simplified the pensions tax system by changing eight schemes of taxation into one. Simplification measures in the Pensions Act 2004 will enable pension schemes to consolidate and simplify their rules with retrospective effect.
	We set up the Employer Task Force to draw on business experience and innovation as a way of identifying and promoting good practice in occupational pensions. Following a recommendation in its report, published in December 2004, we have set up a website aimed at employers which is dedicated to offering guidelines on good practice, with case studies and examples.
	We intend to take steps through our informed choice programme to raise awareness among employers of the value for recruitment and retention of employers' pension contributions.
	The Government also provide generous tax relief to encourage people to save for an income in retirement, including around £5 billion a year in National Insurance relief to employers.

Pensions

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what advice was taken from (a) the Government Actuary's Department and (b) other actuaries by the then Department for Social Security (i) in advance of the introduction of contracting-out rebates for personal pensions in the 1986 Social Security Act and (ii) on the appropriateness of the level and structure of these rebates between the introduction of the 1986 legislation and the introduction of age-related rebates in 1997–98.

Malcolm Wicks: The contracting-out rebate rates that applied to appropriate personal pensions introduced under the Social Security Act 1986, were set out in a report laid before both Houses of Parliament in March 1987 by the then Secretary of State for Social Security. As required under the legislation, a report by the Government Actuary was laid at the same time and set out the rebate rates that, under the legislation then in force, he considered to be appropriate. Before these reports were laid, a draft of the Government Actuary's report was issued for consultation. This consultation included questions on the appropriateness of the level and structure of the rebates. The actuarial profession were among those consulted and their views were taken into account as part of the consultation process.
	The Secretary of State is required to review the level of rebates at least once every five years. The same process as described above took place in 1992 to set the rebate rates from 6 April 1993 and again in 1996 to set the rates from 6 April 1997. As a result of the latest of these reviews, age-related rebates were introduced for members of appropriate personal pension schemes and members of contracted-out money purchase schemes.

Pensions

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the rates of basic state pension payable to (a) single pensioners and (b) couples were in (i) 1996–97 and (ii) 2004–05; and what the rates would have been in 2004–05 if they had been uprated in line with prices between 1996–97 and 2004–05.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is in the table:
	
		
			   £ per week 
			  Single pensioners Pensioner couple 
		
		
			 Rate of basic state pension as at April 1996 61.15 97.75 
			 Rate of basic state pension rate as at April 2004 79.60 127.25 
			 Rate of basic state pension as at April 2004 if it was uprated by retail prices index from 1996–97 74.15 118.50 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Retail prices index as published by the Office for National Statistics.
	2. For the years 2001–02; 2002–03; 2003–04, the basic state pension was uprated by more than the retail prices index.
	3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5 pence at each uprating.
	4. The basic state pension is an individual payment and there is no such thing as a "singles" or "couple's" rate. The pensioner couple rate, commonly referred to as the "couples rate", is the sum total of a basic state pension and around 60 per cent. of it. The actual amount for a couple will therefore depend on the amount of the basic state pension to which the husband is entitled.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate

Winter Fuel Allowance

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior citizens in Edinburgh, North and Leith have benefited from the winter fuel allowance since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: Information on the number of senior citizens in Edinburgh, North and Leith who have benefited from the winter fuel payment in each year for which figures are available is in the Library.

Women in Poverty

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many women were living in poverty on the latest date for which figures are available, broken down by women of (a) Asian, (b) black, (c) white and (d) other ethnic groups.

Chris Pond: Poverty is about more than low income; it also impacts on the way people live—their health, housing and the quality of their environment. The sixth annual 'Opportunity for all' report (Cm 6239), published in September 2004, sets out the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion and presents information on the indicators used to measure progress against this strategy.
	Specific information regarding low income for the United Kingdom is available in 'Households Below Average Income 1994–95 to 2002–03'. It should be noted that the reporting of year on year changes of low-income rates for small ethnic groups are not reliable. Both publications are in the Library.
	According to the latest data, in 2002–03, 3.7 million women in Great Britain were living in households with income below 60 per cent. of median income on the Before Housing Costs measure, and 4.7 million women were living in low income using a similar threshold on the After Housing Costs measure. Robust estimates of the number of individuals by ethnic group are not available. The estimated proportion of women by ethnic group and the proportion of individuals for each ethnic group that were in low income in 2002–03 are in the following tables.
	
		Proportion of all women living in low income households—broken down by ethnic group Percentage
		
			 Ethnic status Before housing costs After housing costs 
		
		
			 White 88 87 
			 Asian 7 7 
			 Other 5 6 
		
	
	
		Proportion of women in each ethnic group living in low income households(17) Percentage
		
			 Ethnic status Before housing costs After housing costs 
		
		
			 White 16 20 
			 Asian 34 40 
			 Of which:   
			 Bangladeshi/Pakistani 55 64 
			 Indian 21 24 
			 Other 22 33 
		
	
	(17) This table gives an estimate of the 'risk' of low income.
	Notes:
	1. A breakdown for Bangladeshi/Pakistani and Indian is provided for information as there were a greater proportion of Bangladeshi/Pakistani individuals in low income than there was for other ethnic groups.
	2. "Low income households" is defined as households below 60 per cent. median income.

Alcohol-related Emergency Admissions (Lancashire)

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many alcohol-related emergency cases there were in hospitals in Lancashire in the last period for which figures are available.

Melanie Johnson: The table the number of alcohol-related 1 finished admission episodes for acute national health service trusts in Lancashire during 2003–04, where the admission method was emergency.
	
		
			 NHS trust Finished admission episodes 
		
		
			 Morecambe Bay hospitals NHS Trust 1,258 
			 Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust 777 
			 Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre hospitals NHS Trust 656 
			 Lancashire Teaching hospitals NHS Trust 1,425 
			 East Lancashire hospitals NHS Trust 1,399 
		
	
	Notes to table:
	1. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	2. The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002–03) diagnosis fields in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
	3. As well as the primary diagnosis, there are up to 13 (six prior to 20O2–03) secondary diagnosis fields in HES that show other diagnoses relevant to the episode of care.
	Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
	Source:
	HES, Department of Health.
	Note:
	(18) ICD-10 codes—"alcohol related" as advised by NHS Information Authority clinical coding service. Counts include any of the records where the following listed codes are recorded in the primary or secondary field:
	Primary diagnosis:
	F10.–Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol
	T51.–Toxic effect of alcohol
	R78.0–Finding of alcohol in blood Secondary Diagnosis
	F10.–Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol
	T51.–Toxic effect of alcohol
	X45.–Alcohol poisoning and exposure to alcohol
	X65.–Intentional self poisoning by and exposure to alcohol
	Y90.–Evidence of alcohol involvement determined by alcohol level
	Y91.–Evidence of alcohol involvement determined by level of intoxication
	R78.0–Finding of alcohol in blood
	Z72.1–Alcohol use

Ambulance Response Times

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average response time for ambulances attending 999 calls was in Coventry in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is not collected centrally in the format requested.
	Data on response times for West Midlands Ambulance Service, which includes Coventry, is shown in the table.
	Further information can be found in the statistical bulletin, "Ambulance services, England: 2003–04". A copy is available in the Library and on the Department's website at: www.publications.doh.gov. uk/public/sb0411.htm
	
		Percentage of Category A calls responded within 8 minutes
		
			  West Midlands 
		
		
			 1997–98 61.2 
			 1998–99 61.6 
			 1999–2000 64.0 
			 2000–01 69.5 
			 2001–02 76.0 
			 2002–03 78.3 
			 2003–04(19) 76.4 
		
	
	
		Percentage of Category A calls responded within 14 to 19 minutes
		
			  West Midlands 
		
		
			 1997–98 96.5 
			 1998–99 96.6 
			 1999–2000 96.9 
			 2000–01 97.1 
			 2001–02 99.3 
			 2002–03 97.3 
			 2003–04(19) 96.3 
		
	
	
		Percentage of Category B/C calls responded within 14 to 19 minutes
		
			  West Midlands 
		
		
			 1997–98 95.9 
			 1998–99 94.8 
			 1999–2000 95.8 
			 2000–01 94.4 
			 2001–02 94.2 
			 2002–03 91.2 
			 2003–04(19) 90.5 
		
	
	
		Percentage of urgent journeys with arrival time no more than 15 minutes late
		
			  West Midlands 
		
		
			 1997–98 77.8 
			 1998–99 78.9 
			 1999–2000 73.5 
			 2000–01 68.0 
			 2001–02 68.5 
			 2002–03 71.1 
			 2003–04(19) 74.6 
		
	
	(19) In 2003–04 the area covered by West Midlands Ambulance Service was increased to include Shropshire.

Dementia

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what treatment is available for people with dementia on the national health service;
	(2)  what plans he has to improve the service provided to Alzheimer sufferers.

Stephen Ladyman: Standard 8 of the national service framework for older people sets out service models, actions and milestones for the national health service in the provision of services for older people with dementia and depression.
	In 2003, the then Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn), announced that, as part of the eighth wave of its work, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence would be producing comprehensive guidelines on all aspects of dementia care, including the use of antipsychotic drugs. A draft will be available for consultation in 2006.

Hospital Energy Bills

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the annual energy bill has been at NHS hospitals in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  what steps his Department has taken to improve the energy efficiency of NHS hospitals.

John Hutton: The information requested is shown in the table. Data on energy costs is not available before 1998–99.
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Total annual cost of energy 
		
		
			 1998–99 177 
			 1999–2000 183 
			 2000–01 197 
			 2001–02 243 
			 2002–03 244 
			 2003–04 261 
		
	
	The figures quoted are as reported by the national health service and include costs for all forms of energy used, e.g., coal, gas and electricity sourced both locally and from outside suppliers.
	Under the requirements of the Government's climate change programme, the Department has set mandatory energy/carbon efficiency targets on the NHS in England to:
	Reduce the level of primary energy consumption by 15 per cent., or 0.15 million tonnes carbon from March 2000 to March 2010.
	Achieve a target of 35–55 GigaJoules/100 cubic metres energy efficiency performance for the healthcare estate for all new capital developments and major redevelopments or refurbishments.
	Achieve a target of 55–65 GigaJoules/100 cubic metres for all existing facilities.
	In November 2004, the NHS Estates Agency issued guidance, entitled, "Carbon/energy management in healthcare—best practice advice for the NHS in England on meeting the mandatory carbon/energy targets—March 2000-March 2010", to assist the NHS and to ensure the requirements are kept in focus. The larger more energy intensive elements of the NHS estate are subject to the requirements of the emission trading scheme, which sets a cap on carbon emissions.

NHS Campuses

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what definition he uses, in the context of the new priorities for the Learning Disability Development Fund, of a NHS Campus; which NHS trusts include a campus within their provision; how many people with a learning disability there are in each campus setting; and what targets have been set for the reprovision of campuses into more appropriate settings in the community.

Stephen Ladyman: A national health service residential campus is a:
	"Service operated by an NHS Trust comprising housing, some of which will be clustered on one site, together with some shared central facilities and developed as a direct result of the closure of NHS hospitals". Valuing People, Department of Health, March 2001.
	A survey was undertaken on behalf of the Valuing People support team (VPST) in 2003. Data collection proved difficult, so the Department has confidence in the overall figures, but not in the individual NHS trust data. The current estimate is that there are approximately 3,000 people living in NHS campuses and approximately a further 3,000 people living in arrangements where NHS trusts are involved but in partnership with other providers. A further survey to improve accuracy is currently underway.
	In the implementation guidance for "Valuing People" (HSC 2001/016:LAC(2001)23), objective 6 is clear that people with learning disabilities and their families should be supported to have greater choice and control over where and how they live. Sub-objective 6.3 also states the intention of:
	"Enabling all people currently in NHS long-stay hospitals to move into more appropriate accommodation and reviewing the quality of outcomes for people living in residential campuses".

Strategic Health Authorities

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of strategic health authorities.

John Hutton: I refer my hon. Friend to "Creating a Patient-led NHS, Delivering the NHS Improvement Plan", which is available in the Library. Chapters three and five of this document include information on the future role of strategic health authorities.

Strategy Documents

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) white papers, (b) green papers and (c) key strategy documents have been published by his Department since 1997, broken down by (i) title and (ii) date of publication.

Rosie Winterton: Since May 1997, the Department has published 10 White Papers, five Green Papers and 34 other key strategy documents, which are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Title Year 
		
		
			 White papers  
			 The new NHS: modern, dependable 1997 
			 Modernising social services: promoting independence, improving protection, raising standards 1998 
			 Smoking kills: a White Paper on tobacco 1998 
			 The Food Standards Agency: a force for change 1998 
			 Saving lives: Our Healthier Nation 1999 
			 The NHS plan: a plan for investment, a plan for reform 2000 
			 Valuing people: a new strategy for learning disability for the 21st century 2001 
			 Building on the best: choice, responsiveness and equity in the NHS 2003 
			 Our inheritance, our future: realising the potential of genetics in the NHS 2003 
			 Choosing health: making healthy choices easier 2004 
			   
			 Green Papers  
			 Our healthier nation: a contract for health 1998 
			 Adoption: a new approach 2000 
			 Reforming the Mental Health Act 2000 
			 Mental Health Bill consultation document 2002 
			 Draft Mental Health Bill 2004 
			   
			 Other key strategy documents  
			 A first class service quality in the new NHS 1998 
			 Information for health: an information strategy for the modern NHS, 1998–2005 1999 
			 National service framework for diabetes 1999 
			 National service framework for mental health 1999 
			 A quality strategy for social care 1999 
			 Agenda for change: modernising the NHS pay system 2000 
			 National service framework for coronary heart disease 2000 
			 Pharmacy in the future: implementing the NHS Plan 2000 
			 Quality and performance in the NHS 2000 
			 The NHS cancer plan: a plan for investment, a plan for reform 2000 
			 Building a safer NHS for patients: implementing an organisation with a memory 2001 
			 National service framework for older people 2001 
			 Shifting the balance of power within the NHS: securing delivery 2001 
			 The national strategy for sexual health and HIV: better prevention, better services, better sexual health 2001 
			 Consultant contract framework 2002 
			 Getting ahead of the curve: a strategy for combating infectious diseases (including other aspects of health protection) 2002 
			 Hepatitis C strategy for England 2002 
			 HR in the NHS Plan: more staff working differently 2002 
			 Improvement, expansion and reform: the next three years priorities and planning framework, 2003–2006 2002 
			 Introducing payment by results: the NHS financial reforms 2002 
			 National suicide prevention strategy for England 2002 
			 NHS dentistry: options for change 2002 
			 Patient and public involvement: the future picture 2002 
			 Delivering the NHS Plan: next steps on investment, next steps on reform 2002 
			 Confidentiality the Caldicott way 2003 
			 Developing NHS Direct: a strategy document for the next three years 2003 
			 Keeping the NHS local: a new direction of travel 2003 
			 National service framework for children, young people and maternity services 2004 
			 National service framework for renal services 2004 
			 Practice based commissioning 2004 
			 Reconfiguring the Department of Health's arm's length bodies 2004 
			 Standards for better health 2004 
			 The NHS improvement plan: putting people at the heart of public services 2004 
			 National service framework for long term conditions 2005 
		
	
	Like previous Governments, we have published many other documents, including responses to parliamentary committee's reports.

Surgical Instruments

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment has been made of the need for the individual coding of surgical instruments under contract requirements for the new regional super centres being established for the decontamination of surgical instruments;
	(2)  how many NHS hospital trusts have a bar code system in place for the management of surgical instruments;
	(3)  what assessment has been made of the likely effect on patient safety of adopting bar coding for individual surgical instruments;
	(4)  what assessment has been made of the merits of adopting a system of individual surgical instrument traceability in NHS trusts;
	(5)  what assessment has been made of the implementation of the guidance in Health Service Circular 2000/32 regarding systems for the tracing of surgical instrument sets to patients on whom they have been used;
	(6)  if he will require the use of bar coding for surgical instruments in those areas where sterile service super centres are to be introduced;
	(7)  how many NHS trusts have the capacity to identify individual surgical instruments used after a high risk patient has been identified.

Rosie Winterton: The Department's guidance on the tracking of surgical instruments is contained in Health Service Circular (HSC) 2000/032 (Decontamination of Surgical Instruments). This asked chief executives of national health service trusts to have taken steps, by April 2002, towards having systems in place to enable the tracing of surgical instrument sets to patients on whom they have been used. The presence (or absence) of such a system was taken into account in assessing each NHS trust's compliance with the Department's guidance made as part of the "Review of the decontamination of surgical instruments in the NHS in England", published in December 2001. NHS trusts are not required to report to the Department which tracing system they use.
	Compliance with the provisions of the Medical Devices Directive (93/42 EEC)—compulsory for commercial reprocessing centres providing a service to the NHS—implies the ability to track surgical instruments through the system. It does not—and nor does Departmental guidance—require any particular form of marking, such as bar codes, to be used. The detailed contents of contracts between NHS organisations and private sector providers of decontamination services are a matter for the parties concerned.
	The Department's guidance on handling instruments used on suspected CJD patients or in certain brain biopsies recommends that such instruments should be quarantined pending confirmation of a diagnosis. All hospitals that have implemented the guidance in HSC 2000/032 will have the capacity to do this. Other than the review published in 2001, no complete survey of their compliance has been undertaken.
	The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PASA) has commissioned a survey that includes tracking and tracing systems in use in NHS trusts. NHS PASA is also discussing with the NHS the technologies presently available for marking instruments, such as laser etching; and those being developed, such as the implantation of radio frequency identification chips in individual instruments.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards achieving the public service agreement target of securing sustained national improvements in patient experience as measured by independently validated national surveys.

Rosie Winterton: With reference to improving the patient experience, national patient survey results to date show that the vast majority of patients—across all surveys—are positive about the overall care that they receive and the national health service staff who provide that care. For example, they have confidence and trust in staff, feel involved in their treatment/care, feel that they are listened to, get answers to any questions they have in a way they can understand and are treated with respect and dignity.
	All national patient survey results are posted on the website of the Healthcare Commission at www. healthcarecommission.org.uk.

Wells Report

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the cost of the Wells Report was; and for what reason he does not currently intend to publish the report;
	(2)  what the cost was to public funds of the Wells Report.

Melanie Johnson: No specific budget was allocated to the Wells report work. Its compilation involved the input of many individuals in a number of different organisations. The cost to public funds of the report could therefore be estimated only at disproportionate cost. The report will not be published, as to do so would prejudice similar future examinations of the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which other public authorities discharge their functions.